1) Discuss strategies for improving services for external customers in your organization.

The first strategy is to improve customer service skills. It is essential that the management finds out whether the customer representatives have the skills required for managing the needs of customers (Bolman and Deal, 2013).To begin with, customer service representatives need to be patient and empathetic when dealing with customers. Some customers tend to be loquacious, others get easily irritated, and the rest might be inquisitive. There should be clear communication with customers especially by using positive language. Representatives should deal with customers using the thick skin ideology. Believing that ‘the customer is always right’ enables representatives to accept blame even when they are not on the wrong.

Secondly, an improvement ought to be made on customer interactions. But how can the organization go about this? First, customer representatives should identify common interests with customers and use these to understand their needs. If relationships are humanized through shared interests, conflicts become easier to manage, and customers’ needs get addressed. They also have to practice active listening skills so that clients feel listened to. They should use phrases, words, and expressions that denote empathy with their feelings and situations for instance remarks such as ‘I understand why you feel upset.’ They ought to admit mistakes for this cultivates trusts and confidence with customers. Also, after a solution to a problem has been determined, they ought to make follow-ups to ensure that the customers achieve the highest level of satisfaction.

Thirdly, enhancing the customer service strategy is another tip that has proved successful in many organizations (McFarlane, 2013). To achieve this, customer service should be personalized in a way that customers feel they are interacting with real people and not robots. Providing FAQs without giving room for more personal questions can easily make customers feel alienated. The business must go beyond automated mail responses by directly addressing the concerns of customers on various social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Bios and links ought to be provided on online pages as proof that the business exists to address customers’ needs. The business must extend special treatment to select customers as a way of improving retention.  One of the best ways to do this is to create focus groups and conducting interviews with such customers.

Lastly, the management must cultivate a feedback culture with customers. The best way to find out about every excellent or horrible customer experience is by creating a feedback channel that enables customers to speak out. Feedback can be achieved through a variety of ways such as end-of-call surveys, CRM tool survey emails or leaving a contact and address in the website.

2) How do you encourage teamwork in your organization? Give specific examples.

Encouraging feedback is one of the most significant ways of inspiring success within a business organization (Bolman and Deal, 2013). To encourage feedback, leaders must first develop teamwork skills. The effectiveness of teams depends entirely on the ability of the members to understand and appreciate the group setting so that they can positively contribute to its operations. Team building skills must be the backbone of the team focus. Members must mind how they listen, communicate, and manage conflict with one another whenever they arise. Before integrating daily business operations with useful feedback, the management ought to conduct training so that staff acquires these skills. Lessons on communication and listening skills can be given in various ways, for instance, coaching or mentoring or even group sessions.

Secondly, members must agree on the goals and objectives of the time. It is often a mistake creating teams without the team members agreeing on primary reasons why the teams exist and what they are trying to achieve. These goals and objectives are essential in pulling people back together whenever conflicts arise because every member is compelled to understand that there are ambitions that must be achieved with or without friction. In striving to make these, team leaders must help members identify common interests. Roles ought to be clarified so that every team understands what they stand for. Without every person understanding what they should do, it is not possible to have effective teams. Some of the members might even delegate their role to other members in the same group. To counter this confusion, responsibilities must be appropriately documented in the intranet so that whenever a conflict of interest or ambiguity in role functioning exists; anyone can refer to the document for better understanding.

It is also prudent to reward good teamwork as a means of encouraging similar performances. Showing recognition for certain specified level of professional achievement at the workplace is a good way of motivating teams to give their best to the organization (Jiang, 2010). Showing appreciation for good work does not only naturally improve team culture but also promotes a healthy and friendly environment of work where people have the potential to achieve more.

Lastly, managers must not micromanage. Micromanaging makes employees feel like children and gives them the impression that the organization does not believe in their abilities. With strict and excessive supervision, teamwork cannot flourish because such an environment also lacks respect and motivation. It is crucial to set goals, but managers must inspire teams instead of showing them that their skills are in doubt. It is reasonable therefore to replace micromanaging with a culture of mutual trust, honesty, and respect. This promotes teamwork.

References

Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2013). Artistry, choice, and leadership: Reframing organizations.    John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Jiang, X. (2010). How to motivate people working in teams. International Journal of business       and Management, 5(10), 223.

McFarlane, D. A. (2013). The strategic importance of customer value. Atlantic Marketing Journal, 2(1), 5.

Do you need high quality Custom Essay Writing Services?